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Carrot, Egg or Coffee – a tale of feelings

That was a story I read some years ago. I never forgot it – it may sound like a silly story, but I liked it. It may be a bit long, but it’s worth reading, in my opinion – and it goes in a fast way, really.

Words of Wisdom – Carrot, Egg or Coffee tale

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and that she was facing so many problems. She didn’t know how she was going to solve them. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

Her mother took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. When the water started boiling, she placed carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second and coffee beans in the third. She let them sit and boil and didn’t say a word.

In about twenty minutes she got the pots’ contents and asked her daughter: “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Egg, carrots, and coffee“, she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots and the egg. The carrots were soft. Then she took the egg and broke it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted it.

The daughter then asked, “What does it all mean?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity –boiling water – but each reacted differently.

* The carrot went in strong, hard. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened.

* The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

* The coffee beans, after they were in the boiling water, changed the water.

“Which are you?” the mother asked the daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?” You may ask yourself:

– Am I the carrot, that starts the journey hard and ends up like a soft thing, losing its strength, or maybe, touched by what surrounds it?

– Or the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

– Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

How do you handle adversity? Are you changed by your surroundings or do you bring life and flavor to them?

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG OR A COFFEE BEAN?

* Author unknown
I think we can be more than one style...!
Hope you have a great week with many sweet smiles!18

5 thoughts on “Carrot, Egg or Coffee – a tale of feelings”

I remember that story! It’s really interesting, and even touching. I wish I was a coffee bean, but I’m more likely an egg. But I don’t know. Things and circumstances change. We can’t be the same forever.

denise, i’ve been all three. haven’t you? depends on the circumstances, my mood, and the situation. i’m sorry you haven’t been getting my blog feeds consistently. if i knew how to fix it i would. i don’t know diddly about tech stuff.